2,100 people killed in traffic accidents in Q1

HÀ NỘI — Traffic accidents have killed 2,100 people and injured 3,800 others in the first three months of 2017, which is a decrease compared to the same period last year.

The National Committee for Traffic Safety said there were 80 fewer deaths, equivalent to a 3.65 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2016, and 687 fewer injuries, down 15.19 per cent.

At 4,800, the total number of traffic accidents is also down by 175 cases, or 3.51 per cent, compared to the corresponding period in 2016.

In March, the country saw 1,347 traffic accidents, with 544 deaths and 1,175 injuries, down by 20, 59 and 20 cases, respectively, against last year.

In the latest accident, on Sunday, two people died and 10 others were injured when two coaches collided on a section of National Highway 20 that runs across the Central Highland province of Lâm Đồng.

In the first quarter of 2017, the traffic police handled 986,714 cases of traffic violations nationwide, with a total administrative fine of around VNĐ593 billion (US$22.2 million). Around 88,000 drivers had their driving licences revoked for breaking traffic rules.

At a teleconference held in Hà Nội earlier this month to review traffic safety and to roll out tasks for 2017, Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình requested ministries, agencies and localities to work more closely together in order to reduce the number of accidents, deaths and injuries.

Localities nationwide were asked to closely monitor the operations of transport companies specialising in road and internal waterways, especially passenger services. They were also instructed to ensure that traffic infrastructure does not get affected, especially in accident-prone areas on national and local highways and intersections.

This year, Việt Nam aims to reduce road and railway accidents by 5 to 10 per cent compared to 2016, and at least 5 per cent of serious accidents involving railways, inland waterways and coaches. — VNS